Tool handle



June 17, 1924. 1,498,523

M. HOKANSON TOOL HANDLE Filed Sept. 25 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet l June 17 1924. 1,498,523

M. HOKANSON TOOL HANDLE Filed Sept. 25 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 IN VENTOR,

MAR T/N HO/f/i/VGON 7% VJ W ITTORNEYG June 17, 1924. 1,498,523

M. HOKANSON TOOL HANDLE FiledSept. 25 1 922 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Z/v VEN TOR Mm 771v HO/f/YNJON Patented June 17, 1924.

MARTIN HOKANSON, or DULUTH, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR no naasrr LL-wnus oom- PANY, or DULUTH, MINNEEQTA, econroaarron or'nnw JERSEY.

TOOL HANDLE.

Application filed. September 25, 1922. Serial N o.'590,381.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IVIARTIN Honanson. a citizen of the United States, resident of Duluth, county of St. Louis, State of Min nesota, have invented certain new and use ful Improvements in Tool Handles. of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the handles of shovels, spades, scoops and the like, and the object of the invention is to eliminate the metal tube or socket usually provided for the insertion of the wooden handle therein. thereby dispensing with the joint between the end of the socket and the wooden handle which often becomes rough, to the damage of the workmans hand, and the metal socket besides being diflicult to fit snugly and smoothly to the surface of the handle is unpleasant for the workman to handle in cold weather.

A further object is to provide a wooden handle which will have a smooth wood surface for the workman to grasp which will be much easier on the workma-ns hands than a handle that is partly of wood and partly of metal.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following detailed description.

The invention consists generally in vari ous constructions and combinations all as hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims. p 7' In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification Figure 1 is a plan view of a shovel embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a side view partially broken away showing the manner of mounting the wood handle sections to the shank of the blade.

Figure 3 is a rear view showing the wood sections removed from the reinforcing shank.

Figure 4 is a sectional. view on the line 4 -4 of Figure 1. Figure 4 is a sectional View on the line 4 4: of Figure 1,

Figure 5 is a sectional view on the line 55 of Figure 1.

Figure 6. is a detail view showing the tapered form of reinforcing shank.

Figure 7 is a plan view illustrating a modified form of the reinforcing shank.

Figure 8 is a view with the wood sections omitted and showing a tapered shank.

Figure 9 illustrates a section of the rein forcing shank with an -'auxi'liary section extending beyond the same.

Figure 10 is a similar view showing the auxiliary section reduced or tapered toward its outer end. p v p I Fi ure 11 is a detail view of the auxiliary rein orcing section that. is preferably secured to the shovel blade shank.

. Figure 12 is a sectional view on the line 12+12 of Figure 9.

Figure 13 is-a plan view of a shovel showing the reinforcing shank secured to the shovel blade instead of forming a part there- 0 Figure 14 is a detail sectional view showing the preferred manner of securing the shank in Figure 13 to the shovel blade.

Figure 15 is asection'al View on the line 15.15 of Figure 13. v

Figure 16 is a view of the shank separated from the blade, showing the manner of folding the blade at one end to form the shank.

Figure 17 is a sectional view on the line 17 17 of Figure 16. I

Figure 18 is a viewshowing the folded shank and the tapered reinforce extending therefrom. V

In the drawings. 2 represents the blade of the shovel. Instead of providing the usual socket for the end of" the wooden handle, I fold the metal of which the blade 2 is composed to form a substantially flat reinforce blade 3; across-section of this blade being in substantially the form of a flat-- tened U, with the side members adjacent each other and in substantially parallel rela tion. The usual depression twill be formed in the blade but the flattened shank or reinforcing blade 3 will take the place of the usual hollow extension or socket into which the wood handle is inserted. r

The handle composed of longitudinally divided woodsections 5 is fitted 'on each side of the blade or shank 3, extending throughout the length of the tool handle, and these wood sections are secured in place by a suitable means. such as rivets 6 which pass through the wood. sections and through the metallic reinforcing blade or shank, and rigidly secure them together. The shank may terminate in thewood handle ata point where it is subjectedt'o a minimum strain,

ngui es.

but at the point near the blade where the tool handle nearly always breaks, there will be a suflicient body of metal in the reinforce or shank toibrace and stiffen the handle at this point and permit the tool to be subjected to all manner of rough usage without danger of breaking.

The reinforcing blade extends the full length of the handle, but is substantially covered by the wood sections so that the workmans hands do not come in contact with the metal, always an objection in cold weather, and the joint usually formed between the metal socket and the wood handle is entirely eliminated, being a smooth continuous surface on which the workmans hand may slide without obstruction and without danger of injury, entirely to the end of the handle, or at the point where it joins the blade. The blade is preferably turned or folded as indicated at 7 in Figure forming a foot-rest for convenience in forcing the tool into the ground; and the usual handgrip 8 is provided at the other end of the handle.

The rivets passing through the handle and blade or shank, are all countersunk indicated in Figure 5,. so there is no possibility of injuring the hand of the workman as it slides on the handle.

In Figure 6. I have shown the reinforcing blade tapered or gradually decreasing in thickness from the blade to the outer end. hus reducing the amount of metal used, eliminating unnecessary weight, and only using the heavier portions of the blade at the point where it is subjected to the greatest stress. This tapered blade I will indicate by reference numeral 8.

In Figure '7, a blade 9 is shown which terminates near the middle of the wood handle, instead of extending to the end thereof; the blade, however, being folded to form parallel side members in the manner described with reference to the previous The wood sections are provided upon opposite sides of this blade extending to the end of the shovel blade in substantially the same manner as described with reference to previous figures.

In Figure 8, a tapered blade 10 is shown, rolled or reduced in thickness toward its outer end for the purpose of eliminating weight and only employing a considerable body of metal at the point where the shank is subjected to the greatest stress.

In Figure 9, a short shank 11 is folded or formed from the blade, and within this shank, a short reinforcing blade 12 is placed on edge, extending to the outer end of the handle with provision for clamping the wood sections thereto upon both sides.

Figure 10 illustrates the same idea with a taper 13 formed in the reinforcing blade, the flattened or hollowed shank terminat- ,esaaes ing substantially the same point as in ord'iiary shovel.

In Figure 11, I have shown the metallic reinforce that is fitted into the folded shank of the shovel and secured thereto and the wooden handle sections by rirets as shown and described with reference to an er view of this reinforcing plate is shown in Figure 9.

In Figure '12., the folded shank of ure 9 is shown in cross-section, within which is indicated the single unfolded reinforcing plate 1% v l g'lll Fig- In if c the shank 14 is shown adapted to receive a folded reinforcing blade 15 between its walls, as in Figure 15; the wood sections bei g sect bed thereto substantially as heretofore described. This reinforcing blade 15 is preferably formed from sheet meta folded upon itself and adapted to fit into the fold of the shank making four thicknesses of the metal at this point. flar ng plate 16 isintegrally formed at one end of the blade 15 and is adapted to snugly it the surface of the depression 4 provided in the back of the shovel blade 2 and is firmly secured thereto by rivets 17, as particularly shown in Figure 1%.

In Figure l5, the folded shank is shown,

within which also provided the folded reinforcing" plate upon opposite sides of which the handle sections are arranged and secured.

Figure to sho the edge of the reinforc ing blade of Figure 14.- with a plate grovided at the end fitting the hollow back of the shovel and secured thereto; the riew being a detail of the blade of Figure l4: sep-- arated from the shovel.

In Figure 17, a detail of the plate at the end of the reinforcing blade is shown indi cating the fold therein to fit the back of the shovel and showing the flanged portions which are securely riveted to the blade of the shovel,

In Figure 18, the shank 14 is shown folded to provide opposite parallel walls between which the folded reinforce plate 18 is in serted, a taper being provided in this reinforce for the purpose of reducing weight, providing a better balance for the tool, and locating the point of greatest strength in the reinforce at the point in the handle where it would be subjected to the maximum stress.

It may be said, therefore, that these different constructions embody an improved type of shovel shank and reinforce, dispensing with the well-known socket in which the wood handle is usually mounted and providing in place thereof, a substantial shank and reinforce which will greatly strengthen the handle tiie point where it is subjected to the maximum stress, will permit the forma tion of a smooth continuous surface on the handle on which the workmans hands may Inn lat)

slide, and be more substantial and durable for a tool handle construction, than anything of this nature heretofore devised.

The pressing of the shank and reinforce out of the metal of which the shovel blade is composed not only will eflect an economy in production but considerable improvement '11 neatness of appearance and workmanship, while the taper of the shank and reinforce permits the production of a tool of better balance and one in which great strength at points of little stress will be avoided and proper safety provided at points where breakage usually occurs.

1 claim as my invention:

1. A shovel, scoop or spade comprising a blade having a handle reinforcing extension at one end that is folded longitudinally to form opposite substantially parallel walls at right angles substantially to the plane of said blade, the end of said blade adjacent said extension having foot engaging flanges formed thereon, the inner ends of the walls of said extension having curved continuations which unite with the inner ends of said flanges to brac and strengthen said blade at the point of maximum strain.

2. A shovel, scoop or spade comprising a blade having a handle reinforcing extension at one end that is folded longitudinally to form opposite substantially parallel walls at right angles substantially to the plane of said blade, the end of said blade adjacent said extension having foot engaging flanges formed thereon, the inner ends of the walls of said extension having curved continuations which unite with the inner ends of said flanges to brace and strengthen said blade at the point of maximum strain, and a wood handle composed of longitudinally divided sections fitting the outer faces of said extension andhaving their inner ends seated against the curved continuations of its walls and secured together through said extension.

3. A shovel, scoop or spade comprising a blade having a handle reinforcing extension at one end that folded longitudinally to form opposite substantially parallel walls at right angles substantially to the plane of said blade, a wood handle composed of longitudinally divided separable sections fitting the outer faces of said extension and having their inner ends seated against curved continuations of its walls and secured together through said extension, and a reinforcing blade fitting within said extension and between said handle sections.

4. A shovel, scoop or spade, comprising a blade having a centrally arranged longitudinal extension that is folded lengthwise to form a seat for the handle, said blade having its end on both sides of said extension folded to form foot engaging flanges, the walls of said extension being curved outwardly and merging into said flanges and forming therewith an integral brace and support, for said blade at its junction with said extenslon. A

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set may hand this 20th day of September 1922.

MARTIN HOKANSON. 

